


A Kingdom Lost, A Life Preserved

by JDKoopa



Series: Elincia Week [7]
Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Elincia Week, Elincia's Gambit, surrender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29416233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDKoopa/pseuds/JDKoopa
Summary: Elincia is faced with a choice, surrender the throne or watch as Lucia is executed. What happens if Elincia surrenders?
Series: Elincia Week [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150385
Kudos: 4





	A Kingdom Lost, A Life Preserved

**Author's Note:**

> Elincia Week day 7, Free Day! I've really loved writing some more best girl fics and seeing her happy, but I decided to go a different route for my day 7 fic. I wanted to explore what might happen if Elincia chose saving Lucia over protecting her throne. Of course, there would be a shockwave in the events of the Radiant Duology, but this fic only covers an immediate decision. As always, I hope you enjoy it!

“My Queen!” Geoffrey ran to Elincia’s side and looked out over the field below. Ludveck’s forces had been repelled from the castle, and were now gathering at the gates. In their midst, a young woman with short, blue hair stared at the sky. She began to lower her gaze, stopping when she met Elincia’s eyes.

“Geoffrey.” Elincia said. Her voice was quiet. Almost inaudible over the chaos beneath them. “I have failed.”

“Your majesty, please! We knew the risks. Lucia understood what she was getting herself involved in. You haven’t failed at all!” Geoffrey looked down at his sister. She smiled weakly at him, then lowered her head. “I should have been more careful.”

“It is my place to protect my citizens and my retainers.” Elincia said. “This is my fault alone, and I should be the one to pay the price.”

Geoffrey turned to face her, then kneeled. “My Queen, I will serve you until the day I fall. I have sworn my duty to the Royal Family, and I will serve no one unworthy. I am still here, by your side. So please, don’t speak as though you’ve already given up.”

“What would you have me do, Geoffrey?” Elincia turned her back to him, attempting to conceal the pain and anger that was boiling inside of her. “My soldiers and my people are falling with every day that passes in this wretched civil war. My retainer, someone I loved as a sister, is being used as a tool against me. I see no way to end this bloodshed aside from surrendering the throne.”

“Elincia, please!” Geoffrey stood up and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. He stood there for a moment, surprised at his own actions. “I-I’m sorry. Your Majesty, I-”

“Thank you, Geoff.” Elincia said. She sounded sad, yet her words seemed final. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I hope you can continue to serve Crimea faithfully.”

“I-” Geoffrey tried to speak again, but he choked on his words when Elincia placed her hand gently over his.

“You are a good man. My last order to you as Queen is this - let me go. Alone. Prepare to receive your sister. If Ludveck betrays me, do what you must.” Elincia gently lifted his hand, then turned and gave him a smile filled with sorrow. Then, she made her way to the prison inside the castle.

“Ludveck!” Elincia called as she approached the prison cells. The guards she had stationed there jumped in surprise. “We need to talk.”

“Ah, I see my plan is unfolding before your eyes. Tell me, Your Majesty,” Ludveck said the words dryly, and Elincia could feel the animosity behind his polite facade. “Do you even understand what is happening?”

“I do.” Elincia said, dropping all pretenses of courtesy. “You’re a snake and you’re willing to do whatever it takes to gain power.”

“But my Queen, everything I have done has been for the people of Crimea! They need a strong ruler, one who can make the tough choices when the time calls for it. And you,” Ludveck stood and approached the bars to his cell, leaning as close as he could to Elincia’s face. “Just aren’t strong enough.”

“What are your terms.” Elincia said. Ludveck frowned, apparently caught off guard. Elincia heard her guards gasp behind her, but they knew better than to interrupt. “For my surrender, you must have terms?”

“Why, yes of course. I shall require your abdication from the throne, handing all power directly to myself. Your advisors and retainers will have no place on my staff. We can discuss that in further detail later, if you truly wish to hand the power over to me.” He smiled wickedly, and Elincia wished she had another choice. 

“I want you to guarantee the lives of my people. My soldiers and retainers should not be held accountable for my decisions. If you swear to me, right now, that none of them will die, I will let you out and announce my abdication from the throne.” Elincia stood as proudly as she could. She was asking a lot, considering Ludveck was holding all the cards. 

“I can make no such guarantee.” Ludveck said, though he didn’t sound as harsh as Elincia had feared. “Your soldiers are proud, and they would fight for you until the end, given the chance. As such, I will not take that option from them.”

“Then -” Elincia started, grasping at anything she could. Ludveck held a hand up to cut her off.

“However, I will let them choose. Any of them who wish to continue to serve their country will be stripped of position and may join the knights again as new recruits. Those who do not wish to serve will have the choice between execution and exile.” Ludveck’s eyes softened. “Elincia, you were not a bad ruler. I don’t wish to see your legacy tarnished. Crimea simply requires someone stronger to guide them.”

Elincia remained silent for several seconds. Ludveck sat back down on his bed, and the knights behind her shuffled nervously. She thought about the decisions she had made to bring her to this point, wondering if there was something she could have done differently.

Finally, Elincia looked at Ludveck. “I have one more condition.” Ludveck raised an eyebrow, but remained seated. “You must continue to pursue stronger ties with Gallia and the other laguz nations. My father before me longed to see a day when beorc and laguz could live together in harmony, and I will not have all of his work destroyed.”

Ludveck nodded. “In order to remain strong, we must ally ourselves with other strong nations. Our reasoning may not align, but I will honor this request.”

“What will happen to me when I abdicate the throne, and where will my men be exiled should that be their decision?” Elincia said, relaxing her shoulders. She assumed her execution would be public, but she wanted to make sure that when her soldiers were exiled they wouldn’t be left alone to die.

“You will be exiled with your men, left at the border to Gallia. Arrangements will be made for the king to meet us there and receive you as he recognizes my ascension to the throne.” Ludveck laughed at Elincia’s surprise expression. “You didn’t truly think I would have you executed, did you? And risk making you a martyr? No, that wouldn’t do. Instead, you will agree to live out the rest of your days outside the borders of Crimea. Once you have been left in Gallia, you may go wherever you choose, but as long as I or my descendants sit on the throne, your bloodline will not be allowed to return.”

“You would run the risk of me staying alive, rallying forces, and returning to take back my throne. Do you think this is wise?” Elincia knew she shouldn’t be asking, but she couldn’t help it. She still didn’t understand Ludveck’s intentions.

“You will convince the King of Beasts to sign a treaty. He will be unable to aid you in rebuilding and reclaiming your throne. In return, I will publicly support our nations growing closer. Your father’s legacy will be protected as long as you remain true to your word.”

Elincia looked at Ludveck. She could feel shame and disgust washing over her. Before she lost her resolve, she turned to the guards behind her. “Open his cell and escort him to the battlements. We have an announcement to make.”

The guards bowed, then did as they were instructed. Ludveck was quiet as they walked together back to where Elincia had left Geoffrey. She hoped he would be gone by the time she returned.

Elincia approached the castle wall and looked down to where Lucia was waiting. The soldiers on the ground below were growing anxious, and as the day had passed many of her citizens had joined the mob, trying to figure out what all the commotion was for. Behind her, Ludveck spoke. “Your Majesty, time is almost up. My men will act at sundown. You have made a brave decision, let us see it through so that I can honor your last act as the ruler of this nation.”

Elincia glared at him over her shoulder, but was surprised to find genuine respect in his eyes. Ludveck may have been a monster, but somewhere inside him was a heart. She reluctantly turned back to her people who waited below. 

“Citizens of Crimea!” Elincia called out to her people, her retainers, to Lucia and Geoffrey. She cast all doubts aside. She had made her decision, and it was time to follow through. “I know we have been facing some difficult times. Ever since the Mad King attacked, we have struggled every day. I have done my best to lead you down the path I believe in, but today it has been made clear to me that the path I chose is not the path we are meant to walk.”

She paused, and heard only silence below. Every person gathered was listening intently to every word she said. “I have been honored to serve as your queen. However, during the last several weeks, my weaknesses have been made prevalent. I have lost countless citizens and soldiers to this civil war, and even now lives hang in the balance because of my failure to act decisively. Because of this, I have decided to step down as your Queen, and leave the future of Crimea in the hands of Ludveck of Felirae.”

Cheers erupted from the soldiers gathered around the castle as Ludveck stepped forward to Elincia’s side. “Hear me now, people of Crimea. Your Queen has served you well, and deserves your respect and admiration. What she lacked in strength, she made up for in compassion. However, what this nation needs right now is unbending strength. I give you my word that I will not undo the work she and her bloodline have put into making this nation strong.”

After that, Elincia didn’t hear anything Ludveck said. The world around her became a muted cacophony of sound, and she stepped away from the wall. She passed her soldiers without a word. After some time passed, she thought she saw Geoffrey escorting Lucia to the medical wing.

Eventually she found herself in the throne room. Once, Ike had comforted her in this very room. He had told her that no one taught her how to take back her country, yet she succeeded, so what did it matter if no one taught her how to lead? She laughed bitterly as she realized it mattered a great deal. She didn’t even feel the tears streaking down her face as she leaned against a pillar and slumped to the floor.

She had lost her nation. But at least Lucia and the rest of her people would be spared.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested in more of my content, feel free to follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/jd_koopa) I'm planning to put up a poll soon to see if people are interested in me continuing this fic idea into more chapters. Be on the lookout for that!


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